CEOP’s Youth Advisory Panel

The Youth Advisory Panel is a group of 11 – 17 year olds from across the UK. The YAP is really important to the Thinkuknow Team, because they help us develop internet safety education products, which are used in schools and youth groups all over the country. The YAP helps inform us about what resources are needed, how they should be pitched, as well as the content and design of products. The panel also help us stay up to date with the latest technologies and trends. Basically telling us what’s cool and what’s not! Over the past few years, the panel have helped to create films, posters, leaflets, presentations and the thinkuknow website.

The 80 panel members meet 4 times a year to discuss the latest issues relating to internet safety for young people. The meetings are normally in London on a Saturday and we cover the cost of each member and an accompanying adult to travel to the event. We are also in email contact throughout the year so the panel can provide research, opinions and be given extra opportunities to get involved.

We are looking for enthusiast young people who would like to make a difference. Panel members should have an interest in new technologies, including gaming, social networking, mobiles or chat sites. You don’t have to understand how new technologies work, you just need to use some different technologies and have an opinion. The YAP have the opportunity to protect young people from the dangers of the internet and proactively get involved in how education, industry, police and Government respond to this problem. If you are passionate about this cause, we want to hear from you!

If you would like to be on the panel and think that you have some good ideas to contribute, follow the application form link below. Once you have completed it, submit it to us and we will be in contact. It’s that simple!

We will email you as soon as we can after you have applied and let you know if you have been successful. If you were not successful, it may be because we have a lot of people your age or from your area. The panel has to be representative, so we need to make sure we have a range of different people, from different areas onboard.

Below are what some YAP members have said about their experiences

"I have been a member of the CEOP YAP for just over a year now, and since being there CEOP have really helped me open my eyes to the dangers out in the Virtual World. It has helped keep me safer by teaching me little things like, don’t publish personal details or be certain of a friend when they add me on one of my social networking sites. I have then taken this information back to my friends at school and introduced thinkuknow to them. I know myself and friends feel we can use the internet with more confidence knowing that we can stay safe online but still have fun as portrayed by CEOP, and knowing the fact that if something did happen, we can report the abuse in complete confidentiality and not get into trouble. I enjoy being on the panel because I feel as a member I am helping other teenagers like me who want to use the 'cyber world' more safely. When at CEOP I have a lot of fun and have been offered many opportunities to be involved actively with the members. I have also made many friends. Since being on the panel I facilitatated workshops at IYAC back in the summer and helped to faclitate sessions up at CEOP on safer internet day, 2009. I have loved my year on the panel and hope to carry on for many years to come.”

"The Yap for me is a fantastic opportunity to put in my opinion about something I actually care about. I get to talk with lots of people and learn about alot of different aspects of CEOP along with facilitating the International Youth advisory congress which was fantastic. It's taught me team work skills and strengthened my confidence, and was a great opportunity which I'm very happy to have been given.”

"Having been on the Youth Advisory Panel since November 2006, I have participated in many events run by CEOP, ranging from facilitating the International Youth Advisory Congress (IYAC) last summer, to taking part in workshops, as well as doing a voice over for a video for Safer Internet Day. I have also been trained in how to deliver presentations to people on the topic, and have so far delivered presentations to all pupils and staff at my school. CEOP’s Youth Advisory Panel gives me a chance to get my opinion heard on a matter that is so crucially important to young people: internet safety. The staff care about what we say, and we can see action coming from our getting our opinions across, rather than it acting as a rubberstamp that they have consulted young people. We really do get things done!”

"To me, CEOP is so important, mainly for the fact it protects the welfare children who use the internet, and in todays world, that's almost every child. I've been on the panel since it very first started and I love being part of it as it means I can help CEOP in their endeavours to make the internet a safer place. I can put my ideas and opinions across where they're really needed and do my part to ensure children have a safe and happy time on the internet. Being part of the panel has given me so many wonderful opportunities, including making friends with people not only across the UK but meeting people and making friends from all over the world. IYAC 2008 was possibly one of the best weeks of my life. I feel priviledged to be a member, but also know my hard work is appreciated. Thank you CEOP.”